Almost wholly reliant on slavery, the tobacco industry was the subtle target of British Abolitionists 50 years before Britain outlawed slavery and nearly a century before the American Civil War.

Extracted from Antiques Trade Gazette | Terence Ryle

This 5½in (14cm) wide cast-iron tobacco box, above, offered at Halls (23% buyer’s premium) at Shrewsbury on May 1, is modelled with a kneeling figure in chains above the word Humanity. The finial to an extra internal cover was dated July 28, 1774.

Pitched at £150-250, it sold online to a UK collector at £800.